Angela Cameron

Please welcome today’s guest, author Lisa Lane, to the blog.
She’s the author of The Darkness and The Night series, and all around vampire expert.

When Vampires Hit Suburbia

I’ve noticed a trend in the modern vampire, a movement fitting for the twenty-first century, when humans really should be evolved enough to handle something as trivial as a vampire or two living (or unliving) in the neighborhood.  Still, it has been interesting to see what has become of the twenty-first-century vampire through hits like Twilight and emerging possibilities like The Gates.  What do they have in common?  They approach human/vampire interaction in deeper or more innovative ways, creating unique relationships between unlikely people in ways that, to varying degrees, make us think about ourselves and the world around us.

This can be unfortunate for some vampires, however, as the poor things find themselves suffering greatly in their futile attempt to pretend they are still human.  Humanity is a lot like virginity: once it’s lost, it’s gone for good.

These unfortunate suburban vampires use various coping tactics in order to keep their cover, from living “vegetarian” to keeping blood in the back fridge.  One must give them kudos for their efforts, as unnatural as they are.  Karen Xavier, the protagonist in my erotic horror trilogy The Darkness and the Night, is among those growing numbers.  Luckily for her (and after much strife) she now has a blood donor to keep her satisfied, but she does also have the problem of raising her seemingly human daughter and son in as “normal” an environment as possible.

With poor Karen and others in mind, I thought I might compile a basic list for vampires attempting to fit into suburban life:

• Know your story and stick to it.  Some of your suburban friends might want to know why they never see you during the day.  Pick a human condition that causes sunlight allergy and research it.  The information will come in handy eventually.
• If you’re one of those rare nightcrawlers who beat the odds and had kids, never assume you know what they’re going to grow up to be.  A seemingly human child can mature into something altogether different.
• If you suspect your child is undergoing his or her “second puberty,” be sure to check the neighborhood parks and ravines regularly, to ensure he or she has not been misbehaving. (Poor Karen once had to deal with her son accidentally biting his girlfriend, then burying her by the creek when he mistakenly thought he had killed her.  Learn from her mistake.)
• Pretend you’re camera shy.  It will pay off in the future.
• If you remain in one place for longer than ten years, always act flattered when someone says you look good for your age.  If need be, tell your friends that you have a fantastic plastic surgeon.
• Keep your cupboards and refrigerator stocked with various foods.  To keep them rotated and avoid waste, go to the grocery store and your local food donation center at least bi-monthly.
• Most importantly, always be patient with your suburban friends.  Remember, they’re only human.

For more tips on fun and interactive suburban living, check out The Darkness and the Night III: Twins of Darkness.  For more about Lisa Lane’s works, go to http://www.cerebralwriter.com.

From a guest blog post on N.O.R. May 29, 2009

“… let us continue the discussion we had a while back about vampires, which spurred on the question: Why are we so attracted to werewolves in our romances?

Admittedly, I hadn’t thought about this one as much. Even though I’ve written werewolf tales, I hadn’t considered the move from the scary monster werewolves of the movies from my childhood to the modern magical lovers of the romance novels we love today. So, it took a little research.

Have they always been sexy?

From the earliest stories, werewolves have been, by definition, shape shifters. Their legend is in almost every culture throughout history. The master legend of our modern werewolves seems to be from Lycaon, who some say was cursed by Zeus for sacrificing a boy on the god’s alter. Others believe that either Lycaon and/or his sons made a meal of human flesh and fed it to Zeus at a banquet. Either way, he supposedly angered the god, who transformed the man and his sons into wolves. This legend is a monster who has little resemblance to our modern hero. Unlike the vampire, werewolves were true monsters until a few short decades ago.

Oh, the passionate monster.

In modern romance, we’ve moved to modern stories featuring humans who have lycanthropy from a virus, such as in Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series. Or, they inherit the genes as the wolves do in the Twilight series or in my first werewolf short story “Changing Moon” in the Power Plays anthology. Either way, these half humans keep most of their human characteristics and incorporate their differences into their lives in ways that vampires can only dream of. Perhaps this human quality has an influence on our attraction to them. Is it this struggle to remain human in the face of an almost uncontrollable desire to kill and maim? It’s almost the ultimate in passionate, flawed mates.

We all want to be free.

Or is it the desire for freedom? Werewolves in modern romances tend to enjoy running wild in the forest in all their furred glory. In their pack world, the normal human rules no longer apply. Justice is swift and decisive. Sexuality and nudity are usually very open and may involve various pack members. Instincts trump most every other influence. It’s the height of freedom both in the physical and psychological realms.

Does loyalty count for anything?

Another popular characteristic of these beasts is their loyalty. Within their pack, a hierarchy exists that is something of a monarchy. The Alpha male and female lead the larger domestic unit and will protect them with their lives. On an individual basis, they have families with close ties. They generally have children. Lots of them. And they have mates that they protect at any and every turn. These wolves have a family oriented attitude that surpasses all other supernatural creatures.

What does it all mean?

If vampires are the wise, seductive paramours of our dreams, then werewolves are the nature loving, uninhibited lovers of our days. My personal theory is that werewolves are another, more human extension of our escapist needs. Where vampires take us into a new life, werewolves unlock our cages to let us run free as humans. Of course, there will be as many theories as there are readers. For me, the attraction is all of these things (even if I did make the werewolves old school monsters in my Blood and Sex series). Who wouldn’t want a passionate, loyal, fearsome, sexually adept, confident, family oriented mate?

But what about you? What’s the attraction to werewolves for you? I can’t wait to see your answers! So, if you post a comment today, I’ll automatically enter you in the drawing for a free copy of one of the Blood and Sex series books.

Until next time…

From a guest blog at N.O.R. on

“…I want to discuss something with all of you. My newest book, Blood & Sex, Volume 2: Jonas, came out this month, and all this talk about my vampires got me to thinking. What has us so enthralled by these mythical leaches?

I’ve researched this while working on the Blood & Sex series, though each of the vampires is shaping up to represent a single fetish. The more that I write and chat with readers, the more I learn that these creatures represent a deeper need that is often hidden, even from us.

What is so danged hot about vampires anyway?

It seems that even from the first vampire story, sexuality and the vampire are permanently united. Long before the modern dark romances became acceptable, if not mainstream, the vampires were bad guys. They were frightening monsters, closely related to the modern zombie. Still, a few stories featured attractive beings such as Dr. John Polidori’s “The Vampyre” and Sheridan Le Fanu’s seductive female in “Carmilla”. Dracula and a few of his contemporaries also tempted young women into dark deeds. The mind control that generally came along with the character’s powers excused the sensual familiarity that the vampire’s embrace demanded, allowing the victim (and the reader) to experience the sexual experience without the guilt heaped on by religion and society.

After the sexual revolution of the sixties, vampires came out of the roles as villains or guilty pleasures, and moved into the hero category. Barnabas Collins of Dark Shadows started the sympathetic version of the monster with the elements of undying love in the story line. This daytime gothic soap opera made the vampire an endearing personality for the masses.

Anne Rice turned the monster into a sexy protagonist with much of his humanity intact, beginning with Interview with the Vampire. For many readers, the series was their first look at sensual stories and positive homosexuality in fiction. Today, Stephenie Meyers’ Twilight saga brings the vampire hero to the next generation through Edward Cullen. Although the story is far from being an erotic romance, Edward and Bella’s relationship smolders with the promise of more throughout the series. Their sexual relationship is one of the main conflicts and is, for many teens, the first brush with eroticism in literature. Even a generation ago, this combination of vampire and teen sexuality would have been unacceptable.

What does it mean?

I’m convinced that the vampire’s ascension to the hero in our modern myths is directly tied to the sexual liberation of our society. As we grow in the acceptance of our needs and the needs of others, our vampires become more mainstream and openly sexual. For some, they still represent an acceptable submission to another through no weakness of our own, as does the fantasy of mind control. For others, it is the draw of a lover with centuries of practice. In any case, these preternatural creatures represent the darker needs in us, which have remained taboo throughout our history, especially for women.

When I asked Lisa Lane, my friend and author of the popular new vampire series The Darkness and the Night, what vampires meant to her, she replied:

“I believe the fascination so many people have with vampires stems to the primal, basic urges that course through every human being. Vampires represent the wild, hungry creature that exists within us all, and the fantasies surrounding them allow us safely to explore hard-wired issues such as control and submission. We are all animals, but we are also all civilized beings; in exploring the animal, however, I believe we are able better to understand the human.”

Your Opinion

This reference to animals from Lisa made me thinking more about the role that werewolves play within this vampire lore, but I’ll save that for another blogging day.

In the end, vampires are all of the above, depending on my mood, and that’s obvious in the dominant natures and fetishes explored in my vamp series.

That’s why I’d like to hear from you.

What do vampires represent to you? Is it simply the strength and danger of the mythical creature? Or is it something deeper?

Post a comment today, I’ll automatically enter you in the drawing for a free copy of Blood & Sex, Vol. 1: Michael.

Until next time…
Angela

If you want to know more about me and the guys of the Blood & Sex series, check out my blog at angelacameron.wordpress.com. You can also find excerpts at http://www.ravenousromance.com/ and at my website http://www.angela-cameron.com/.”

Ok, here’s a cool new movie that I’m dying to see. It’s a Blair Witch style haunting movie. Low budget and indie that Paramount bought. People are leaving the theater early because they’re too scared to watch the whole thing. Yes, it will probably be on DVD–at noon–next to hubby…but I can’t wait to see it!

http://insidemovies.moviefone.com/2009/09/25/paranormal-activity-movie-next-blair-witch/

So, anyone already watched it? I’d love to hear more

I just saw the trailer for New Moon and decided to post it here. I’m a little surprised by how different they made the wolf look from what’s in the story. I’ve been carefully watching the development of the Twilight saga into the movies, as well as the True Blood series, and I’m surprised by what they pick to make accurate and what they don’t.  Anyway, enjoy…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiFlkCmRfNg]

I have a new story coming out from Cobblestone later this year. While I’ve been laid up, I’ve received the artwork.

Coming Soon from Cobblestone Press

Croco did a WONDERFUL job on it. Check it out. Feel free to use the banners and link back to this blog or my site at www.angela-cameron.com. Let me know if you do, and I’ll be glad to reciprocate!

 If you’re into vampires, this is a new twist on the standard story. Raven is a vampire and the only female leader of a territory.

Why?

Female vampires aren’t complete without a mate…or so the elders think. Until Raven, no woman has managed to gain the full benefits of her power without mating with a male.

Can Raven manage to maintain her position? Or will she be forced to mate to someone she doesn’t know, just to satisfied the old guys?

At Night Owl Romance today discussing Werewolves in Romance! Come over and talk with us about why you like shifters.  http://bit.ly/19jgYs We’re all authors and readers, just talking about why we love the wolves andwhy they’re so popular in modern literature, specifically romance.

Inara, thank you for taking the time to talk with me. As you already know, I recently read your short story Succubusted, and I’m in awe. It’s really a fun, unique ride. How did you come up with the idea for the story?

Hi, Angela!  I am delighted to talk to you and so thrilled that you not only read Succubusted, but liked it! 

As for the idea, I needed to come up with a short for Ravenous really quickly.  I went for a walk on the beach with Dave (my bf) and we were tossing ideas back and forth.  I’m also working on a paranormal horror/romance where one of the characters is a succubus and it sparked the thought of, what if a succubus and an incubus had sex?  Would they feed on each other and both die…or would it be the best sex they ever had?  You’ve read Succubusted, so you know the answer. 

 Are all of your heroines so strong?

Yeah, pretty much so.  They’re flawed, with human frailties, but I don’t think I could write about a heroine that didn’t have a core of inner strength .  I don’t like weak heroines, probably because I’m pretty strong-willed and determined myself.  

What is your favorite line (or few lines) from the story?

Heh.  You actually pulled my favorite bit when you so very kindly told me how much you liked it.  The bit when Lil, the heroine, is talking about how the succubus was blamed for wet dreams:

The monastic holy rollers just needed a convenient scapegoat for their ‘nocturnal emissions’ ’cause wet dreams were not considered holy.  Kind of funny when you consider how many men yell ‘oh god, oh god, YES!’ when they come. 

I’m dying to ask one question—do you work at being as humorous as you are? Or is it natural?

I just asked my boyfriend what he thought and he says ‘it flows out of you like a river.’  Which makes me feel humorously incontinent.

I guess it’s fairly natural – I come from a family with a very loopy sense of humor and was raised and then nurtured on the likes of Mary Tyler Moore (ever see the Chuckles the Clown episode?), Spinal Tap and Black Adder.  Also, without a sense of humor, I think I would have killed myself many years ago.  Life experiences can be harsh and without humor and empathy to help cope with some of the more negative/tragic experiences…well, I think it’s definitely a coping mechanism that’s prevented many a suicide.

Would you like to share a little about what you’re working on right now?

I’m currently working on a book called CHAMPAGNE for Ravenous Romance, which started with a short story I wrote for my boyfriend.  It’s got all of his favorite elements in it and has definitely stretched my writing chops.  It’s set in France, has lots of food and wine, and features two really hot women and two really hot men.  And there is a definite relationship at the core of it.  Some of this is based on personal experience.  But I’ll keep the specifics to myself for the time being. 

Where can we find more information about your work?

you can go to http://www.danafredsti.com, http://www.ravenousromance.com or email me at zhadi@aol.com.  I’m always up for a chat! 

Thanks so much for chatting with me, Inara. I may be knocking on your inbox again when I read the next story.

 Thank you for having me on your blog, Angela!  I hope you’ll be visiting me in the near future too!

New Release today! Included: “Love Power” – my first witch story!

REKINDLED FIRE Anthology
Edited by Elle Amery

Rekindled Fire traces the stories of ten couples who lose each other, only to find their way back together once again. The love stories here contain two unifying elements: profound love and erotic, passionate heat. Whether the story is contemporary or features magic, vampires or shape shifting; whether it involves spanking, bondage, or simply pure, unadulterated sex; or whether the couples have been torn apart for several months or one hundred years; one question remains the same: Will these former lovers be able to rekindle the flame of love?

Contributing Authors:

Angela Cameron
Amber Hipple
Jen Bluekissed
Vanessa Vaughn
K. Ann Karlsson
Nini Richou
Cora Zane
Janne Lewis
Louisa Bacio
Elle Amery

ISBN:  978-1-60777-214-9
From $4.24

GET YOUR COPY HERE… http://bit.ly/qKzZm  

Love Power by Angela Cameron

“I can’t believe I’ll be at Tulane tomorrow.” Isabell rolled onto her side, readjusting so her ribs didn’t push so hard against the planks beneath her. She eased closer to the bare, muscular chest of Taylor Wyndham, keenly aware of the heat generated by Wynd’s body. Water sloshed with the movement, lapping the wood below the deck.

She shivered, but it wasn’t from the climate. Nothing was wrong with the weather. The sky was bright with a million stars, and even the nightingale was singing in the forest across the water. The day had been a scorcher, and even in shorts and a tank top, lying on the dock, the humid summer night was far too hot for chills. A gentle wind came off Wyndham Lake, blowing over the length of her body and cooling her skin where the beads of sweat were exposed. But the breeze wasn’t what had caused her to shiver. The chill was inside her, twisting her gut.

Wynd pulled her tighter and wrapped his heavy arm around her waist. “It won’t be that bad.”

“It’s too far.”

“We’ll talk every night if you want.”

“It never works, Wynd. You know that.” Isabell buried her face into the soft cotton of his shirt, letting the scent of his skin fill her nose. She squeezed her eyes shut to stop the tears that threatened. “What if you get lonely?”

“I’ll call.”

Calls weren’t what she meant. He had to know that. If there was one thing that Taylor Wyndham wasn’t, it was stupid.

Wynd sighed and kissed the top of her head. “I love you, Issie, and no one will ever make me forget.”

That first stupid tear streaked down the side of her face. He just didn’t get it. That silly romantic in him was the thing that she both loved and hated. It made him naïve. He always saw the happy ending for them and ignored all the other, more probable endings.

“Are you crying?” He pulled her face toward his.

The wind picked up, blowing the sweet scent of honeysuckle between them and tossing auburn strands of her hair into her face. Wynd’s emotions surged, the energy forcing the wind around them the way it always did when he was feeling particularly protective.

Isabell stared up into those blue-gray eyes and felt her heart start to swell again. It was almost magical, the way it always happened. First she’d look into his eyes. Then those colors would move and sparkle. Next thing, she’d feel like her heart was going to explode with love. Wynd was the most beautiful thing in the world, right down to that scar over his right eye from the fight he’d had with Harrison Gray in tenth grade after Harrison had made the mistake of grabbing her ass.

That was the first day she kissed Wynd—the first day she’d kissed anyone. She couldn’t resist: he was just so adorable with that bandage over his eye and his scraped knuckles. He insisted on walking her home down the path that led through the forest between their houses. Then there, next to where the stream fell off the hillside in a little waterfall, he kissed her. It was too perfect.

The kiss, and the burst of emotion it brought, was apparently all he’d needed to spark that magic inside him. She’d known about his family’s ability, and had eagerly waited along with Wynd for the day his would show. Wynd had been a late bloomer, at least by his family’s

standards. Most of the men in his family got their power at thirteen, but Wynd’s hadn’t come until that day. Still, it had been worth the wait. He was more powerful than anyone in three generations, according to his mother. That much had been evident in the way the wind had whipped through the tree, lightning had cracked through the sky, and the warm rain poured down on them.

It was the best kiss of her life, but it was the beginning of Wynd’s public persecution. Once his power started, he hadn’t been able to stop the magic when he was angry, hurt, or even when he just saw her. Many in their town suspected he had powers beyond what they could comprehend. Most were afraid of what he could do.

Wynd stroked her face again and she gave him a chaste kiss, whispering, “I don’t want to leave you.”

“I’m not letting you stay here, darlin’.” Wynd blinked, his long black lashes brushing against his cheekbones. “They saw your talent. Not everyone gets a free ride for four years. And you’ll be the first Carlisle with a degree. It’s too big for you to pass up.” He moved closer, almost touching her lips. “Besides, I’m yours, and a few years aren’t going to change anything.” Wynd grabbed her hand and toyed with the antique diamond engagement ring he’d given her just after graduation. “When you’re done with school, we’ll put that other ring on your finger.”

His breath was so sweet, and his olive skin so warm, like always. Isabell leaned toward him, but Wynd pulled away.

“Come with me,” she whispered.

“You know I can’t. I don’t have much time with Mom. Maybe a year.”

Joan Wyndham was too sick to go anywhere, but it seemed as if the cancer had always been a shadow looming over their relationship. Wynd had even missed taking Isabell to her

senior prom because he was sitting in the ER with his mother. But she couldn’t complain. Wouldn’t. He couldn’t help her illness any more than Joan could. There were three other brothers who could help take care of her. Wynd just wouldn’t let anyone else do it.

Isabell’s shoulders sagged under the weight of her guilt. “I know. I’m sorry. I’m just—”

“Scared. Don’t be.” His lips brushed hers. “I should be worried about you. You’ll be in another state, at a college . . . with Harrison. I’m the one who should be scared.” Wynd pulled back a little. “Harrison’s after you. He’s always been after you. With me out of the way, he’ll come at you full bore. He’s a jealous jerk.”

“He’s a friend,” Isabell responded.

“A jealous jerk of a friend, maybe.”

“He doesn’t stand a chance. You’re much hotter.” She giggled.

“Hmm. Same here.” Wynd’s lips brushed hers again. He was so close that her heart was racing. “You’re the one, Issie. Nobody else.”

No one had to tell her that millions of boyfriends promised such things to their girlfriends each year. She knew how young romances went. Still, she couldn’t stop her eyes from slipping shut when his mouth finally landed on hers.

Wynd kissed her with a gentle precision that made it seem as if he was born to do nothing but this. His lips were too soft, his mouth too skilled. It always made her mind turn to mush. Especially when his hand slipped under her shirt, pushing against the cup of her bra like it was doing now.

Isabell pulled back, gasping for breath. “Are you trying to get me in trouble?”

“Your mom said I could keep you out all night as long as you weren’t a bitch to her on the trip tomorrow.” Wynd leaned down, burying his head in the arch of her neck.

Want to read the rest? GET YOUR COPY OF REKINDLED FIRE HERE… http://bit.ly/qKzZm

I was so excited to read the new review of Blood & Sex, Vol. 2: Jonas by Nancy at Paranormal Romance. “…I read through it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down… Ms. Cameron is on a roll!”

Thanks so much, Nancy!

Read the rest of her review at http://www.paranormalromance.org/reviews/review.php?id=31133